Aboriginal protestors have taken their fight against racism on West Australian airwaves directly to the source – confronting shock jocks outside the offices of Radio 6PR in Perth.
The fight centres around the Fremantle Council’s decision last week to move Australia Day celebrations back two days, to January 28, after consultation with local Aboriginal elders.
Around 10 First Nations people, including elder Herbert Bropho, turned up at the headquarters of Radio 6PR on Hay Street in the CBD to protest the station’s coverage of the issue, branding it racist.
Much of the anger of the group was directed at shock-jock Peter Newman, over comments he made on his Sunday program.
6PR Drive presenter Adam Shand also confronted the protesters, and a heated argument ende3d with Shand asking them to appear on his show.
Fremantle Council is the first government authority in the country to formally recognize the offence caused by January 26 as a national day of celebration. Their decision last week came against the backdrop of a growing movement to change the date to one that doesn’t mark the invasion of Australia by the British.
